Letters to Caroline
by Lavanya Ray
Summary: "Everybody deserves a love story. It doesn't matter if a person is born with a halo around his head, or a pair of pointy red horns. The truth is we all need a love story." "So Miss Caroline Forbes, what sort of love story do you want for yourself?" Joseph Morgan and Candice Accola are looking for the love story of Klaus and Caroline. KLAROLINE FLUFFS/ AH/ OOC.
1. Prologue

_**Disclaimer: The characters are creative properties of LJSmith and CW. However the story line belongs to the author and should not be copied or used without permission.**_

* * *

_~~ Prologue ~~_

"Everybody deserves a love story. It doesn't matter if a person is born with a halo around his head, or a pair of pointy red horns; and it really doesn't matter if the girl is a not a perfect beauty, or the man is something lesser than a beast. Somewhere deep inside, everyone craves for a love story; everyone wants one personalized love story for themselves. Hell, everyone needs a love story once in their lifetimes. With life being so messy and frustrating, everyone needs an experience to hold onto, to cherish, to remember, to give hope and tears. A true experience of love and being loved is what makes a life worthwhile." With a curt nod Caroline concluded, "Yes, we all need a love story."

She was drunk. She was beaming while speaking, her face glowed pink and her eyes looked as warm honey. It was 13th of February; the youth surrounding the spot in the bar were engaged in preparation of the celebration next day.

"Celebration of love, celebration of being loved, and celebration of emotions… isn't it great?" she flipped the flyer and sang, "Love is in the air."

A man seated next to her took the flyer from her and peered on the details of a party organized by Mystic Grills next evening. "So where did that small inspiring speech on everyone-deserving-a-love-story come from?"

Caroline sighed. "Nowhere, I was just thinking aloud." She took a big gulp of her drink and watched a particular corner of the restaurant adjacent to the bar, where a young couple was busy making out. The girl happened to be her childhood best friend and the boy was, well, one of the most hated persons in her acquaintances.

"A love story might also cause great level of resentment in life, especially when the lovers choose a path less appropriate." The man breathed and stared at the mirror in the wall before him, where he could see the reflection of the same couple.

Caroline felt the need to be defensive. Even if Elena Gilbert was not paying no heed to her and keeping herself engaged doing something that looked utterly wrong to her conscience, it came under her duty to defense her friend.

"Well, nothing is appropriate or inappropriate in love. You do not get to choose who you will fall for, who will you lose your heart to. You just fall for them. No matter how shaded their reputations are."

He turned to face the pretty eighteen years old girl directly. "But if you are looking for a perfect love story, isn't it important that to eliminate such situations those may hurt the others we love and care for?"

"No, perfect love stories end up being perfect because they contain such situations. Remember how Romeo fell for Juliet despite of their family feuds?" she raised her eye brows to make a strong effect supporting her point. He pulled a smile on his lips.

"So why do people need a love story if that has a probability of ending up in a tragic twist of life?"

Caroline took a deep breath and started playing with her half full glass. Her focus drifted away from the crowded bar.

"Because at the middle of the night when suddenly they'd wake up in their beds, haunted by a dream, or simply disturbed calculating what they have done in the past years and what they have achieved, they must have something to be happy about. Even the briefest moment of an affair could bring a smile to their lips." Caroline finished her drink in another gulp and twinkled her eyes to the man sitting by her right. "Besides, people usually feel happier when they find a flawed love story. You know the ones having fights, issues, a little bit of tears, misunderstandings."

The man laughed out in a low voice. He seemed pleasantly entertained by their interesting conversation. He shook his head with an impression of shaking his skepticism off his head and extended his hand to Caroline's.

"Nicklaus."

"I am Caroline Forbes, and you have an unusual name."

"Yes, I do have an unusual name." Nicklaus took her hand, for a small moment halted, and took her hand to his lips. He placed a gentle kiss on her knuckles, his eyes reading her reactions.

"It's very nice to meet you Miss Forbes."

Startled by the unexpected act Caroline blinked. An embarrassment masked her face which was again replaced by an astonishment almost instantaneously. She radiated a smile warm and glowing as melted gold.

"Same here..."

"So Miss Forbes, what sort of love story do you want for yourself?"

Caroline played with the yellow satin laces tied carelessly to the sleeves of her white top and sank into her seat. Her dreamy gaze lowered to the counter top where her empty glass was sitting. Her lips curled slightly as she spoke.

"I don't know, may be a silly one? One having long, insanely idiot love letters in it, petals of roses, a nice book... A couple of candles and a clear night sky full with glittering stars, a lake and a lonely night. Being stuck in an elevator for an evening, being away from the world in a rainy weekend." She laughed at her own absurd ideas of romance. "It sounds silly and completely childish isn't it?"

"People do not think that way anymore. at least not the ones I meet in my everyday life." Nicklaus eyed the couple through the mirror. "You know her don't you?"

Following his sight Caroline held her breathe for an instance.

"As a matter of fact, she is my best friend." Adverting her gaze from the mirror she admitted. Elena was still enjoying her share of pleasure, but for some odd reasons Caroline felt a sting of shame and guilt inside her chest. Wasn't she supposed to be happy for her friend, who was being herself after a long while? She tried to act normal and turned around to him.

"And the boy is..."

"Damon Salvatore, elder brother of Stefan; which indicates that she must be Elena."

She widened her eyes in shock. "Wow, you know them!"

"I know the Salvatore brothers, and I heard about their intricate love-triangle with Elena Gilbert." He eyes bore into Caroline's profile. "Do you really believe there is nothing wrong or inappropriate in their behavior Caroline? What does your theory of love say about it?"

Caroline remained silent for a while looking at the couple. The elders often considered Elena's relationship with the Salvatore brothers a disgrace to the face of the youth of Mystic Falls. Even though they were best friends forever, she herself hated to think how Damon got under Elena's skin; but what was the point of discussing that with a stranger while it was evident how happy they were with each other. She glanced at Nicklaus and found him staring at her expectantly.

"If I were in that seat I wouldn't do that; but as I said before, you do not get to choose who you will love. Same stands for friendship. And I am definitely not discussing my friend's love life with someone I barely know."

He smiled at a response. They both remained speechless for a while, avoiding the sight of the couple, avoiding each others eyes. After finishing one more drink Caroline broke the silence.

"You were right. People do not follow the old ways of love anymore. Love stories are lost forever."

"That sounds disheartening, love."

Caroline nodded agreeing, and instantly narrowed her eyes. "Did you just call me love?"

"Oh I don't know, love. Did I?"

Nicklaus stared at her, his eyes very still on her face. Caroline suddenly realized she didn't know the man, and he was still staring at her with something like an amused smile around his lips. His lips, she noticed, were curved beautifully, like those perfect pair of lips giving teenage girls all sort of shivering, embarrassing feelings. He had dimples, very clear and inviting, she felt a surge of kissing him, dipping her tongue inside the goodness of him. She observed him attentively, ignoring the light-headedness blurring her sight. He was in his mid-twenties, tall, charming in a strange way. He was attired in a blue silk shirt; the top two buttons were left undone revealing a part of his chest where she could see hints of a tattoo. His blazer was kept neatly by his side, and his hands were swirling the golden liquid drowsily, although his entire focus was centered on her.

Caroline looked at his face, her eyes met his gaze. She quivered inwardly. Warmth snaked through her skin, a very nice feeling flooding inside her. Was he single? Was he waiting for someone? Did he like her? Or was she annoying him with her babbling?

What if she kissed him?

As soon as the thought popped into her mind, she leaned forward, close to him. Surprisingly, he did the same. Their lips touched each other, first softly as if to introduce each other with their shy ardor, and then slowly they started moving against each other as if to get to know each other. His experienced moves melted her from inside. In a spur of a moment they were kissing each other with all their spirit, their fervency spreading through their skin.

An annoying sound snapped them back from the trance. Nicklaus looked at the counter where his iPhone was placed beside his drink. Caroline jumped out of her seat and covered her mouth with her sweating palms.

"Oh my god." She started shaking her head. "Oh my god…"

Nicklaus disconnected the call immediately without even bothering to look at the number of the person on the other side. He rose on his feet, trying to ease her disconcert raising his hands.

"I am so sorry. I don't usually do anything like this. You know I am not that kind of person. It's just that…"

"You're drunk. I understand."

"No you don't. I don't kiss around strangers. Oh god I am so drunk I can't even..."

Nicklaus eyed her seriously. "Do you have your car? You shouldn't be driving in this state."

"I'll call a cab." She dismissed his attempt to help her with a wave of her hand. Storming out of the bar she headed directly to Elena. She snarled at Damon, grabbed Elena and left. His eyes followed as the two girls left the Grills.

"Would you like another drink?" Nicklaus shook his head keeping his eyes fixed on the exit, envisaging her to come back although he was assured in his head that she wouldn't. He asked the bartender to bring his bills. A tissue on the counter top caught his attention, something scribbled in red ink on it. He glanced at it first, narrowed his eyes, and smiling affectionately he folded the tissue.

* * *

"So this is how it all started?" Joseph smirks at me. "Sounds familiar to me."

_Shut up..._ I mouth at him and shoot him with a sharp glare. "This is a project of our lifetime Joseph."

We both shift our focus to the old man we are interviewing. Joseph adjusts his view on his handicam. The man goes back reminiscing the evening twenty one years back.

"I remember that night not just because of the interesting conversation, but also because of the terrible accident that followed shortly. In my five years of bartending that was the one and only incident of that kind."

I sigh and watch Joseph from my sideways glance. He shuts off his camera and looks downwards.

"Thank you so much Henry, for talking with us." I say with a smile. The ex- bartender of the Grills pub looks expectantly at both of us.

"Are you really going to make this documentary or you just said that to get your information?"

"We are going to dig up a story, and yes this documentary thing is real." Joseph chuckles and grabs my hand. We walk out of the pub with our heart beating madly.

"Thank you Candice," Joseph says suddenly. "For helping me. I needed a partner to do all this research stuff."

I look up at him, my heart melts when I see his dimples.

"You are welcome Joseph."


	2. Chapter 1

_**Disclaimer: The characters are creative properties of LJSmith and CW. However the story line belongs to the author and should not be copied or used without permission.**_

* * *

**_~~Chapter # 1~~_**

_**Three years later that night in the pub:~**_

"Enchantment... One small word, so preposterously overused that the charm of the word is effervescing from the contemporary world. A lot of people use this word nowadays, some to describe how appealing the girl in the bar they met last evening was, some use it to depict how astounding a particular object was. Some might feel the actual magic of the word; however I haven't met any of them till date."

Caroline breathes slowly as he speaks to her ears. Cool morning breeze whizzes around her hair, the edge of her silky locks tickles the sensitive skin of her neck and cheek. She rests her head on his shoulder and closes her eyes. He wraps her, his arm covers the exposed skin of her shoulder.

"Are you feeling enchanted right now?" she teases in an almost inaudible tone, knowing he would hear her. She runs her palm over the soft blades of grass underneath, savoring the cool relaxation in her skin.

He smiles and ruffles her curly hair with his free hand. "Last night I realized that I am living this word every moment of my life. Thus I know the depth of the word better than any other soul in this town."

She clutches his free hand in between hers and moves closer to his body. The heat radiating from him eases her, and rouses her as well. Unaware of her awakening senses he goes on speaking.

"Complete captivation, the joyful feelings of extraordinary bliss and elation caused by someone so wonderful that the rest of the world appears to be bland, lacking of color or life. I know this now because I know you."

She reaches out for his hands, his long fingers sketching invisible figures on the surface of the backside of her palm. He draws a heart, then another, then another. She laughs and writes a name. He starts writing her name, though his fingers do not stop at the 'E'. They trails the smooth skin of her arms, gliding upwards they draws ripples of ecstasy on her. His fingers land around her waist, and she feels his breath on her hair. She breaths in and gets lost in the musky smell of his perfume. His lips graze her neck, the lapel of her ear. His tongue traces her jaw line as she moves closer to him, her fingers now entwined with his.

She turns to see his face but blazing white light blinds her sight. The morning sky suddenly closes over her head, turning into a white curtain before her eyes. The curtain fills with shades of gold, yellow, red, and so many colors she fails to remember the names of. Everything bright, everything new… she sighs happily and waits for him to speak again. She lets out a soft moan as she tries to turn and a soft feathery feeling enveloping her. The skin on the top of her toes and fingers tingles, sending a sensation of enthusiasm throughout her body. For a reason she cannot recognize, she was happy.

His words echo in her mind.

"Enchantment…" she waits for him to reply. To tell her how he feels when she is with him. His voice never comes. Instead she hears a sharp gasp, followed by a muffled scream of joy.

"Call Dr Fell, please."

She feels awkward as the familiar voice enters her ear. She shifts a little.

"Care?" The voice is now curious and nervous, it rings transmitting a sense of disorientation to her systems. Caroline groans and concentrates on other things. Such as an unclear hum of some electronic device, occasional beeps, faint footsteps around her head.

"Caroline, are you awake?"

She recognizes the vibes of concern coming off her friend and tries to pull a smile.

"Good morning Bon."

She sounds strangely croaky and hoarse to her own ears. How long had she been sleeping?

"What is the time Bonnie?"

Bonnie stutters while answering. "It's 6 o'clock."

"Oh my gosh I am up so early." She groaned. No wonder her body is aching in every part.

She opens her eyes and closed them back. Her eyes burn and pull with unwanted tears. She blinks and opens her eyes again, making an effort to look at her bedside table, and the small watch on it. Instead of that she finds Dr. Meredith Fell standing beside her bed.

"What are you…" she doesn't complete her question as a much bigger question rises before her. What place she is in? This is definitely not her bedroom. The pale white walls, the rectangular machine sitting at her bedside, the chemical smell, bunch of yellow flowers, and the nurses, everything indicate an answer that seems absolutely absurd to her.

It is a hospital, but how the hell does that make any sense?

A thick nerve on the left of her forehead starts throbbing loudly; she feels her heart thump against her chest in a sick rhythm. Is she sick?

She sinks her head deeply inside the soft pillows and cushions, her throat tightening rapidly.

"Bonnie, where is mom?"

"She's on her way Care. Please calm down. You are fine." Bonnie holds her hand firmly.

She tries to listen to her and Meredith's instructions of controlling her breaths. The whiteness of the ceiling engulfs her.

~.~.~.

"They said you woke up this evening. Welcome back my sweet Caroline. You have no idea how long my wait was." A pair of warm lips touches her forehead. Relief transfers from his skin to her as they make contact. He runs his fingers in her hair.

She feels an urge to talk to him.

"Are you my dream?" she murmurs feeling his fingers drawing small circles on her skin.

"Why do you think I am a dream?"

"Because when I woke up this morning you weren't there."

He chuckles. "How are you feeling?"

"Good, but you won't change the topic."

He sighs; she feels his breath near her chin. His nearness to her is soothing, yet heated.

"Firstly, it was not morning when you woke up; it was evening, 6 pm to be precise. Secondly, I have important business to take care of."

She curls her lips. "More important than me?"

He stills, his movements cease suddenly as though he is fighting his confusion. What is so confusing? Caroline fails to find an answer.

"Nothing is more important than you, but I cannot just show up in your bedside," he pauses and kisses her knuckles. "Not yet."

Caroline tosses and clutches his hand tightly against her chest. She slowly curls her body towards the spot he is seated in, clasping around his strength of his hand.

It feels good. She murmurs before drowning into the deep black slumber.

~.~.~.

She wakes up with a bright impression in her guts. Everything looks perfect as she examines the room from her bed, well except the sickening white walls and the obnoxious beeps coming from the stubborn device at her bedside, and the… box kept carefully under her pillows?

She rises from her bed and moves the pillow swiftly and watches the box. A harmless looking black rectangular velvet box, waiting for her to take it in her hands. She stared for a while contemplating the sleek design of the case. She eyes the floral motif embossed upon the black velvet, and the thin golden work around the clutches.

"Who left you?" she picks the box cautiously, it is just enough large to encase a bracelet inside it, she wonders if she kept it herself sometime she doesn't remember.

Opening the box she pulls her brows together and feels a stretch in her skin. A piece of paper rolled neatly sits proudly over another folded piece of paper. She suddenly recalls her childhood at the moment. She smoothes the rolled paper and gasps in shock.

It is a pencil sketch of her, sleeping tranquilly in a fluffy bed of clouds. Some stars twinkling around her, fine strokes of pencil displaying the signs of composure on her face accurately. She takes out the folded paper with a gentle tug and opens it. Some boldly scribbled words stare back at her.

"_Welcome back, my sleeping beauty…"_

At once she knows who left it.

"Tyler!" A soft smile spreads through her face like the morning sunlight.

"Caroline, are you good to talk?" Meredith enters her room with a file in her hand and Liz accompanying her. Bonnie trails behind the two ladies with a nurse clutching a clipboard in her right hand.

"Yes. I am good and I think we need to talk about the freaking reason why I woke up in a hospital."

Meredith and Liz exchange a meaningful glance.

"Caroline, what is the last thing you remember?"

Caroline frowns at Meredith' query.

"Me and Elena went to the Grills last night. We were chatting about today's party and then Damon showed up."

Meredith exhales slowly and Liz looks away stifling a sharp sensation as of pain. Caroline watches her mother, her sight travels from her to Bonnie who stands with a crest fallen expression plastered on her face.

"Why are you asking me this? I remember I got drunk last night. Did I do something that I was not supposed to do? Mom?" She quivers suddenly as something flashes into her mind.

"Did I crash my car or something? I didn't kill anybody right?" she looks at Bonnie pleading to be with her. "Right Bon?"

"Caroline, you did have an accident, but you didn't kill anyone." Bonnie hustles to her bed and places her hand over hers. "It was you who got injured."

"Okay..." She smiles nervously, trying to pull out a brave face. "And?"

Meredith gives her a relaxing, soothing look.

"Caroline, the accident caused a great injury in your head. We did everything in our power to save you, but your body had stopped responding after sometime. It's a miracle that you are alive today and speaking to us, exactly the same way you used to before the accident."

She feels impatient. "I can hear a 'but' there Meredith. What is it?"

Meredith lowers her head. Caroline feels her stomach clenching as she stare at her.

"I can take it, you know. Whatever it is."

"Care," Bonnie speaks out. "You needed a surgery. It had a 30% chance of your recovery, but we took our chance. The hospital authority helped Liz with one of the best surgeons of New York. Fortunately you survived the surgery."

She glances at my hands and my legs, feeling them moving, alive. She breathes relief realizing that she didn't get paralyzed. or lose any of her useful body parts.

"You went to a coma."

"What?" She stares blankly at Bonnie trying hard to grasp her words. She went to a coma?

"Yes Care," After letting Bonnie and Meredith do all the explaining my om turns to face her, finally. Her chest tightens seeing her bloodshot eyes, tears streaming down her ashened cheeks.

"It's 1995. You were asleep for three years."

* * *

_**Recording : Dr. Meredith Fell~~**_

The accident was -in one word- terrible. When the paramedics brought in the two unconscious girls momentarily I was numb. I am accustomed to see bizarre mishaps, blood and things; but seeing Elena and Caroline in such a condition was difficult for me. I had seen them growing up, I knew their parents... It was heart breaking. From the blood loss we suspected Elena had a bad injury. Turned out that Caroline was the one with more severe afflictions.

We had no options left except the surgery; it was eminent to avoid her impending brain death, however her chance of recovery was only 50 percent. In my medical profession I had learnt one thing, not to lose hope until the patient stops breathing. I have seen many miracles happening in the same hospital, but explaining that to a mother was something pretty crucial. After our continuous efforts Liz was convinced, although her shell of a tough Sheriff, immune to whatever intimidation or threat crossing her way, was practically shattered.

After ten hour of surgery when we came out we were ashamed to face her. Liz cried for the first time I ever saw her, and we let her cry. Someone had already informed Caroline's father, the man was no help at all. Apart from inquiring about the accident and standing at the hallway with his current wife, I do not remember him doing anything else to console Liz. All of us in the hospital were praying for a miracle that night, a magic that would bring the girl back to her life.

And our prayers worked three years after that night.


	3. Chapter 2

_**Disclaimer: The characters are creative properties of LJSmith and CW. However the story line belongs to the author and should not be copied or used without permission.**_

* * *

**_~~Chapter # 2~~_**

.

_**Bonnie Bennett, the best friend:~**_

**Candice's thoughts...**

As I stop my car in the porch of the white two storied building my nervousness picks up it's highest pace. I take a small glimpse of Joseph and catch him engaged with his camera.

"Are you ready for this?" I ask, my voice shakes a little.

Joseph laughs at me. "You are talking as if we are going to kill her. Relax Candice, it's just a short interview."

"But what if she denies to tell us anything about her? She is the main link who can take us to those days and if she denies..."

Joseph holds my hand and squeezes. "If she denies we will show her the letters. I don't think she'd deny us after that."

I do not tell him anything back. He is not aware of the sensation those letters had created inside me once he'd let me read them, and I did not tell him how much I craved to get a letter like that. He is not aware of the current her transfers into my skin whenever he touches me, and I prefer to keep it this way. I also prefer not to tell him how nervous I get in front of Mrs. Bonnie Bennett Gilbert, my history teacher. She has this creepy way of getting inside one's head, in my childhood I used to believe she was a witch. Even now sometimes I get that creepy feeling under my skin, but if I dare to say that to Joseph I don't think he will understand me very well.

"Did you talk to her because I don't want to be the one convincing her." I warn him before pressing the door bell. Joseph laughs again at me, soundlessly. My heart skips a beat or two as he twists his lips.

"I know you are afraid of her, so yes I already have talked to her."

I press the bell and he holds his camera dearly looking around the white building, Gilbert's residence. My mother used to hang out in these premises, I think and press the bell again.

The doors snap open and we find Mrs. Gilbert wearing an amiable expression.

"Joseph and Candice, come on in. I was waiting for you too." She says looking at the camera.

_**Recording Bonnie Bennett Gilbert~~**_

I was just Bonnie Bennett then. I inherited my undying friendship and loyalty to Caroline Forbes and Elena Gilbert from my parents, who happened to be very good friends in their school days. It was just obvious for us to become best friends.

I think I am the only person to witness everything happened in Caroline's life. Elena was there too, but she had her own share of problems. Both Care and Lena were emotional and sensitive, and I was the only one left to help them in their relationship issues. Now when I look back, those days look like the best days of my lifetime.

That year 13th February Caroline was feeling down. It was her break up with Tyler Lockwood. Tyler and Caroline were together for a long time. Their love bloomed when both of them were crossing the threshold of adolescence. Their relationship had a solid base of friendship and need, yet it was broken when Tyler's father died of cardiac arrest. It was sudden, and Tyler had to relocate in Denver to help his uncle Mason in the family business. I remember she called me that evening, literally begging me to join her and Elena in the Grills. I had an appointment with my mother, yes, I required to take appointments to meet her because busy lawyer Abby Bennett had no time for silly things. Anyway I refused to come with them.

That one refusal left me crying for the next three years until I found my best friend back. At first everything seemed to me like a sick joke. I almost cornered Meredith, Dr. Fell I mean, and accused her of horrible things. Such a thing happening to Caroline and Elena, it was unimaginable. I was devastated.

Three years later Caroline was shocked the same way to learn about the accident, the surgery and the damage the accident caused her, but I am proud of her and the way she processed it. When everybody left her alone after dropping the big news on her I went to talk to her.

* * *

_**Her coming back to life:~**_

"Bonnie, I thought you left."

Caroline mutters very slowly, she sounds quiet. A bit too quiet considering the dreadful fact she just learned. Bonnie breaths unsteadily, not sure what to say. What would sooth her, bring her out of the distress she's been suddenly forced into?

The last drop of avidity had left her the very moment Meredith explained how severe her internal wounds were. Caroline stays still staring at the white walls of her room, slumping on her comfortable hospital bed. Her head bends to her left as she narrows her eyes to the digital calender placed upon a table in the far corner of the room. It is almost like a feeble attempt to keep her away from the small rectangular device blinking the date and time continuously so that she remains unaware of the resolute damage life has caused to her.

"I am sorry, Care." Bonnie takes small steps closer to her, scrutinizing her reactions.

"I wanted Meredith to wait before she discloses anything to you, I was not sure how you will take it." She pauses and inhales. "But you seemed alright, better actually, when you were awake. So she decided to tell you everything."

Caroline stares at the red digits mocking at her; even though the somber vibes emanating from her friend is touching every inch of her skin, her despondency ceases her to make any response.

"It was so terrible you know. Seeing you lying on the bed unconscious. Elena looked worse initially, but then the test reports showed her injuries are just external."

Caroline wonders where is Elena now. Does she know that she is... well, back from her three years long coma? Before she could ask Bonnie anything, the inner muscles of her throat constricts, refusing to her will to move them.

"Look I know what happened was bad. It was a disaster, but Care you need to be steady. You have to be strong okay?" Bonnie comes in front of her and kneels downwards to watch her, expectations showing itself in her eyes. Caroline lowers her head to meet her gaze, and then looks away.

"Caroline, say something for God's sake."

"Who is the current president Bon?"

"What?" Bonnie blinks. "You mean The President? This is what you want to know?"

Caroline lets out a small defeated smile. "I guess yes."

"Barack Obama. Anything else?"

"Are you still single?"

Bonnie shakes her head and frowns. "I guess not. I don't know, it's a bit complicated."

"And who is Elena with now? Did she choose?"

Bonnie shakes her head again, rolling her eyes. "No. She's still not sure who she wants. Sometimes its like Damon is getting all under her skin, and sometimes she all about Stefan."

"She's seriously messed up." Caroline tries to conceal a joking smile and adds. "Even more I am."

Bonnie starts to smile as well, in a moment both of the girls are in tears while a sudden force of laughter reddens their face.

"Three years. Can you imagine I was out for three bloody years." Caroline sniffles and wipes her eyes with the back side of her palm.

"Every morning I used to pray, and hope that you'll be up when I reach the hospital." Bonnie settles down on her bed, the mattress conclaves beneath her. "I missed you so much."

Oblivious to the free-falling tears on her face Caroline smiles. "I can't even say that because you know, the last thing about you that I remember is that phone call before we headed down to the Grills."

"The one I asked you to get drunk in." Bonnie nods.

"I listened to you."

After talking to her mom for a while Caroline disconnects her phone and takes her old journal out of the bag Bonnie brought for her this morning and checks the last date of her entry. 13th February 2009. She was never a good writer, and when it came to her journal she cannot help herself but being a pathetic clueless teenager who didn't know how to sum up her feelings into words. She flips the pages and laughs at herself inwardly at her very small entries, mostly consisting two or three lines.

"I bought a new journal for you, I thought it would be nice to start over with everything fresh." Bonnie shows her the notebook she bought last evening after she was confirmed that Caroline was back. "There is also a new set of pen."

"Thanks Bon."

After ninety minutes the two girls start feeling better with their emotions, at least that's what they pretend. Caroline opens her new notebook and starts scribbling. Her hand moves awkwardly, so does her fingers. The words she tries to write down look like scratches made by tiny tots, learning how to write. She tries to sign her own name, it looks funny. after a few minutes of warming up her hand finally comes to a flexibility where she can command it to move according to her own will.

_The thing about pretense is that, it is something very tricky. If it's done properly no matter how well the person standing before you claims to know you, you can always mask yourself to them; but at the same time you need to be conscientious about what you are pretending, because most of the time you start to believe in them yourself. Especially when you are weak and whatever you are pretending is providing you an emotional refuge, believing in your own pretense becomes somewhat inevitable._

She halts her pen and reads back, and adds just one line at the end.

_I wish this pretension soon becomes a whole piece of truth._

After a whole day of catching up with the latest news of the town and her friends, Caroline receives a good news. Initially it didn't appear so easy to her, but Caroline was entirely wrong with her suspicion that Meredith wouldn't let her go home. In fact, she was more than happy when Liz proposed to shift her to home a week later. Meredith arranged every single stuff she's going to need once she's back home. Liz wanted to hire a nurse, but Caroline and Bonnie made it clear that professional service is not required. Meredith agreed to the girls and stated how company of a friend could work better rather than a paid nurse.

Caroline zips the last bag and glances behind her where Bonnie is busy peering on a freaking list of medicines she is supposed to take for the next month.

"You need to pay me a visit in every three days for the next two weeks. Bonnie, please make sure she doesn't miss them." Meredith signs some paper and hands them over to the nurse standing beside her. "You won't be needing these sessions much as others, though. You took everything pretty well. To be honest, I was not expecting you to show that much matureness on something like this."

"I grew up I guess. Even though I didn't experience it." Caroline shrugs.

"Still I want you to come and meet me, and of course call me whenever there is a problem. I remember how you used to make silly excuses just to stay away from this building and the medicines when you were a kid." Meredith advances to the doors.

"It was because I hated the chemical odors, but I think my system has gotten used to it by the three years. Anyway, don't worry about me. I will be fine." Caroline smiles raising her hands. "I know there's time for me to leave, but still I want to thank you for everything Meredith."

Meredith does not reply her back, in stead she hugs her tightly. Caroline lets out a sigh, a sigh she kept hidden for the past week from Bonnie and Liz.

Bonnie turns to both of them. "I think I'll start packing from tomorrow. Since it's just me and you things will be easier that way right?" She glances at Meredith questioning.

"Right, that reminds me Bonnie, you need to come with me. I will give you a chart when and what medicine she should take." The two of them walk out.

Caroline walks out when they're gone. She looks at the corridor that leads to a garden. Meredith was right, she hated this building. Firstly because what she said to her, the odor. Then it was the whiteness of the walls, they looked pale and lifeless to her. But the one reason she never confessed to anyone was the bizarre coexistence of life and death in one single place. It was unnerving to her, but she was different then.

Even she cannot point out the differences time has made into her, she can feel the dissimilarity in an intangible manner.

"So it is true. Sheriff Forbe's daughter is back."

She jumps and turns to meet the man standing behind her.

"How are you feeling today Miss Forbes?"

Caroline takes in the tall charming man flashing a bright smile to her. His face glows as a pair of dimples slice his cheeks, his eyes gleam with something she falls short to comprehend. She looks at him and frowns.

"I am sorry but I don't remember if I know you. Have we met before?"

He looks taken aback, only for a split second. He pulls the smile back on his face and extends his hand. "May be, or may be not. We can always re-introduce ourselves."

Caroline crooks her nose.

"I am Nicklaus."

"And you already know me. Anyway, it's nice to meet you Nicklaus." Nicklaus takes her hand into his, and instead of shaking them he lands his lips down on her knuckles. A pair of beautifully curved lips brushes her skin sending a tempting thrill to her bones. Caroline tries to with hold the heart melting smile she usually spills out in moments like these and pathetically fails.

"Everybody knows the pretty daughter of Sheriff Liz Forbes, and we are glad that we'd be seeing you in the town again brightening our days."

Caroline noticed his eyes brightening themselves as he speaks, as though everything he ever desired is before his sight. The idea thrills her. She laughs awkwardly.

"Well can't be sure about that because Dr. Fell still wants to keep me grounded, but thanks." She looks back at the room she had been sleeping at for three years, the now-empty room looks grim.

"I believe they are working on your discharge papers right now?" Caroline looks up at his eyes and finds a hint of concern, although his lips quirks at amusement. For some completely irrational reason she decides she can tell him things.

"Not yet. Dr Fell wants me stay under her observation for a week more." Caroline lets out a small sigh.

"You don't seem very excited." She glances up at him for a moment.

"I don't know, it's a bit weird. I mean I spent three years in that room sleeping and now within seven days I am leaving it. Next week there will be someone else in my place."

"No one can take your place for sure." He shakes his head dismissing her. "Besides, that is not your place. That place is for people who need help. Your place is out of this hospital, a healthy cheerful place."

"I hope the person who comes next doesn't suffer much." She looks lost. "I hope he or she, whoever it is, goes back to their family and friends, their place."

"I hope so."

She shifts her void gaze to his face and catches him staring at her. She moves her hands awkwardly, and makes a funny face. "You really don't need to listen my ramblings, you know. You can go back to whatever you were doing..." She glances down on his business suit and looks up at his face. He has no scrub or white jacket, or a stethoscope hanging around his neck. "Are you a doctor here?"

Nicklaus laughs and shakes his head. "No, I am not."

Caroline maintains the questioning gaze.

"I am in the administrative section."

She nods and spots Bonnie waving at her. She shoots her a questioning glance and gestures to her room.

"I should probably go now." She gestures to the exit. "My friend is waiting for me."

Nicklaus nods back enthusiastically. "Yes you should."

"It was really nice talking to you Nicklaus." She chimes.

"The pleasure was all mine."

Bonnie eyes her curiously when she hops into the car. "Who was that?"

"I don't know him but he knew mom."

Bonnie shrugs and tugs out something from a chest under her bed. Caroline raises her brow noting the wooden carvings over the top lid of the box.

"What is that?" She feels oblige to ask.

"That's a chest I arranged to keep here. You will find picture albums and journals where me and Elena wrote down everything happened in the past three years," she winks. "With details."

"Oh!" Unsure what to say Caroline stares blankly.

"Care, there is something else you should know. I should have gave it to you yesterday but I didn't want to shock you." Bonnie peers at her face and shows her a thick wooden box. "Also I wanted to find out who's the one."

Caroline opens the box and there is a stack of pares folded inside it. "What the hell are these?"

"These are," Bonnie clears her throat. "Letters. To you."


	4. Chapter 3

_**Disclaimer: The characters are creative properties of LJSmith and CW. However the story line belongs to the author and should not be copied or used without permission.**_

* * *

**_~~Chapter #3~~_**

.

"Why didn't you tell me about these letters?" When Caroline asks the same question for the fifth time, Bonnie figures it would be much better if she stays quiet.

Caroline hastes opening the wooden curved lid again.

"Are you going to open it today? Because it's the third time you are opening the box and I promise I'll leave if you close the lid without looking in." Bonnie declares and rises from her chair.

"No, please wait." Caroline holds her hand and smiles sheepishly. "Bon, I am feeling... nervous."

Bonnie frowns.

"Yesterday morning I found this under my pillow. I thought it was Tyler but then mom said he is out of town. So it's not him right?" Caroline hands her a rolled piece of paper. Bonnie smooths the paper, looks inside and smirks.

"You are right, it's not Tyler."

Caroline sits motionless on her bed, legs bend underneath. Her breathing fastens as she glances down at the box.

"Come on."

With trembling fingers she carefully picks out the first letter, folded neatly. She lets out an astonished gasp as she skims through it. Beautiful, simple, slightly slant to the right, the letters scribbled in royal blue ink are bold. The strokes are powerful displaying the character of the man who wrote it three years back.

After a while Caroline stops reading abruptly scrutinizing the lines once again inwardly.

"You know this seems familiar to me. I have heard someone saying these to me."

"That's probably me," Bonnie nods. "I used to read them when you were, you know, asleep."

Caroline glares. "Why did you read my letters? Love letters are meant to be private."

"I was wondering if you could listen to me, when I asked Meredith if that was possible she said it was not impossible which meant a lot to me. The idea was actually hers, and she trusted me." Bonnie explains. "It worked too. Every time I read a letter your body responded. It was a little bit peculiar but Meredith said it happens. Your heart rate used to increase and last month you suddenly moved your fingers. Even you woke up when I was reading you a letter."

"So she knows about these too?" Caroline feels her blood streaming towards her face.

"Yes, it's only me and her. By the way you don't need to blush because we still don't know who wrote these."

With a coy smile Caroline goes back to reading.

When she is done, her face beams with a pinkish glow.

The papers slips out of her numbed fingers; Caroline stares blankly at no particular direction with her jaw dropped. After a minute she feels a poke in her ribs.

"Bonnie, what is this?" She whispers afraid anyone will listen to her.

Bonnie smirks. "It's your love story sleeping beauty."

* * *

**Joseph's thoughts...**

_Dear Caroline,_

_I never really imagined myself writing long sappy love letters to a girl who is a firm believer of the existence of romance in human life. But here am I, delivering my thoughts on this paper with a hope that someday you will be awake, read this letter along with the other ones, and probably love them._

_Enchantment... One small word, so preposterously overused that the charm of the word is effervescing from the contemporary world. A lot of people use this word nowadays, some to describe how appealing the girl in the bar they met last evening was, some use it to depict how astounding a particular object was. Some might feel the actual magic of the word; however I haven't met any of them till date._

_Last night I realized that I am living this word every moment of my life. Thus I know the depth of the word better than any other soul in this town. Complete captivation, the joyful feelings of extraordinary bliss and elation caused by someone so wonderful that the rest of the world appears to be bland, lacking of color or life. I know this now because I know you. It has become an obsession to me, staring at your sleeping face. Every day I wait for these two hours when I get the opportunity to sit beside you, watch you, bring you in life in my sketch book._

_Do not get me wrong sweetheart, I am not stalking you. I fancy you. You may of course sue me if you think being drawn to someone full of light is a punishable crime, but I doubt if there is any law to punish such helpless people._

The letter ends with a rose, not real but sketched at the bottom of the paper.

I recognized this rose the moment I set my eyes on it. I didn't know how to react when I first discovered the wooden carved box in his desk one night. It was six months back, dad was out of town. That night he called me and asked me to get a diary from his desk and give it to my uncle. I did as I was instructed, and then my inquisitiveness took me to the other corners of the desk. That is where I found a whole box, full of letters written to a Caroline by my father.

I was wondering if my mother ever knew of them. I never really got to spend time with her, as she died when I was only five years old. Even if I had my time with her, I was sure that I wouldn't be able to bring up the subject of dad's secret love affair to her.

My uncle saved me from my confusion and frustrations. Three days after that night he called me in his office for a man-to-man talk, and I learned dad's affair was not much of a secret to my mom.

Candice, my friend gave me the idea of finding the rest part of the love story and make a video cd out of it. It was not easy. I decided to start with the letters and found the name of the the pub. Luckily, I met Henry and he showed me the way.

Strangest moments happen when you have least expectations out of your life. These are the strangest moments of my life, searching for a lost story and pasting the missing parts one by one.

I look at Candice and she returns me a smile, a positive, always shining smile. I thank my God inwardly for the pretty companionship.

* * *

_**That evening in 1995:**_

In her evening rounds, Meredith finds Caroline still lost in her letters. She takes a glimpse of her room and walks away leaving the girl alone. She is about to leave the wing when someone stops her.

"Dr Fell?" She turns back and lets out a surprised laugh.

"Caroline?"

She strides towards her with an awkwardness.

"Can I have a word with you?"

"Yeah sure." Meredith clutches the file she was carrying against her chest. "Lets go to your room, or shall we sit in the garden?"

Caroline thinks for an instant and gestures to the garden. "garden sounds good."

Once both of them settled, Meredith smiles at her. "So what is it you want to talk about?"

"I was wondering..." Caroline stops midway leaving her a little anxious.

"Are you feeling alright? Is there any sort of-"

"No, nothing that wrong. It's just that..."

Meredith suddenly understands what is bothering her. Caroline is not just another patient to her, she is also Liz's daughter, someone she had watched growing up. She knew her well enough to understand her disturbances or nervousness. As right now, it was the later case.

"Is this about what kept you busy the whole day?"

Her suspicion was right. Caroline lowers her head and looks back up at her face.

"Can you tell me who left them?"

"You want to know?" She nods slightly as Meredith crosses her hands against her chest.

"I can tell you this much, that whoever wrote them is a good man."

Caroline raises her brow. "Do you know him?"

"I don't know him," Meredith shakes her head. "I am afraid you will have to find him out yourself."

"How do you know he is a good man?"

"Because we made sure no one enters that wing without the permission of the hospital authority or Liz herself." Meredith smirks. "Perks of being daughter of the sheriff."

"What am I supposed to do now?" Caroline feels lost again. She is having one of the best experience she ever wanted to have and she is clueless who she should thank.

"Live this moment Care, these sort of things do not happen often in our lives. If it's happening to you then that means you are a lucky one to have your own unique story. Don't lose it."

* * *

_**Recording Dr. Meredith Fell~~**_

Of course I knew him. That was one extra-ordinary story I told everyone from my family, changing the names obviously. Being a practicing surgeon I attend countless people with tales to tell others, mostly about what lead them to a hospital bed. In the hospital we are accustomed to face such tales. There are sad ones, pleasant ones, tragic, heart-breaking ones, and also the cute ones; but none of them ever matched the story of Caroline Forbes and her secret admirer. Truth to be spoken, watching her love story was kind of refreshing to me. It had evoked the affections I had been missing for a while due to my professional life, and I was starting to fell the enrapturing excitement of being in love again. Dr. Alaric Saltzman's joining the hospital as the head of the cardiology department had nothing to do with that, of course.

Now the man who wrote these letters. Yes, I knew him very well.

* * *

_**Back to November 1995: A word with an almost friend:**_

Caroline thinks about what Meredith said ten minutes back and her lips curl at their own will forming something in between smile and a smirk. She takes small lazy steps out of the garden looking downwards at the grasses. The soft blades of fress green grass tickles her skin.

"Enjoying the evening?"

She stops at once hearing the familiar voice.

"Good Evening Nicklaus." She smiles blithely at the man she met the same morning. For some strange reasons she feels herself at ease when she looks into his green eyes.

"Good evening Miss Forbes. Did I disturb you?"

"Oh not at all." Caroline smiles and shrugs. "I was in fact looking for someone to talk with."

"That's good," he smiles back. "Because I was here for the same reason."

They stand at the opening of the square garden. Just two feet behind them are the partition of bushes she doesn't know the name of, separating the sidewalk from the seasonal flowers including different variants of roses.

"This is a nice garden." She says breaking the silence sprawling between them all of a sudden.

"Yes it is. This is one place in this entire building I love the most." Nicklaus states.

"You know we planted those roses. We came here from our school three years ago. Me and my two best friends worked hard that day on those roses." Caroline points out at the yellow ones and halts. "Actually it was six years back. I forgot to count my three years."

Nicklaus looks seriously at her face. "Feeling sad?"

Even though she is, she decides not to bring that sadness out. It seems a better idea to just talk and avoid the pain that emerged inside her suddenly. She laughs without making any sound and focuses back to the man.

"How was your day?"

The question lightens up his face. "It was special. Someone I was waiting for very long came back finally."

"Oh That's great. Did you tell that person how long you waited?"

He looks grim for a small moment and his grimness becomes something intense when Caroline meets his gaze.

"I didn't get any chance to do that, not yet. But I am planning to do that very soon. I want to see the happiness in her face when I do so."

Her? Caroline feels uneasy under his intensity. She tries to act normal.

"Well you should do that before it's too late. Life is uncertain you know." He nods and looks away. She repeats what she just said in her mind and curse herself. "I am sorry, I shouldn't have said that. I mean it was..."

"I understand, and I appreciate. Don't be sorry for being honest." Nicklaus comes closer to her. "An accident like yours can leave some invisible scars and fears, it is absolutely normal. But I also think there must be something good in it, something that you can remember with a smile."

Actually there is, but I can't tell you about that. Caroline thinks and her mood changes. "Nicklaus, did anything dramatic ever happened to you, something you always imagined but it was so impractical, and illogical that you never believed it could happen in real life?"

Nicklaus stares at her looking deep into her eyes, almost as if reading everything she has inside her heart and mind. It should feel awkward in a regular situation, but Caroline feels good. She feel as if her hidden pains of losing three years of her life and nervousness of facing the same fact are slowly losing their colors.

"Yes, it did. Truth to be told, that impractical, illogical, dramatic incident is the reason today I am standing here in front of you."

The way he speaks, it sends a shiver all over her skin. She averts her focus to the garden. After a while they both smile awkwardly.

"I should go now." Caroline makes a move towards the wing where her room is. Before leaving the garden she faces him with a gentle smile that comes naturally to her. "You may call me Caroline you know. Miss Forbes sounds kind of formal."

"Would you call me Klaus then?"

Caroline throws a smirk. "Good night Klaus." She walks to her room swiftly where there is a bunch of letters, still unread, waiting for her.


	5. Chapter 4

_**A/N: This is a special note this time guys.**_

_**I was chatting with my mom this Sunday, telling her about this fiction. She liked it and gave me some inputs, they were really awesome. So I decided to re-write the first four chapters I have written yet, and change the theme of the story.**_

_**So now there are two love stories instead of one. One is of course Caroline-Klaus, and the other is Candice and Joseph (familiar with the names anyone?) The idea is Joseph and Candice is finding out what happened in Caroline Forbes life eighteen years ago, and also exploring their own love story.**_

_**I would suggest my readers to re-read the first four chapters to catch up with story. Let me know if anything confuses you. leave your comments. Because I am experimenting with my story for the first time I need to know if you like it.**_

_**Review responses: NikMik - Thank you:)**_

_**ilovetvd - Thanks. No theses guys are not vampires, but they have got interesting human lives;)**_

_**Disclaimer: The characters are creative properties of LJSmith and CW. However the story line belongs to the author and should not be copied or used without permission.**_

* * *

**_~~Chapter # 4~~_**

.

_**13th February 1992:**_

"So, who was the guy you were chatting with?"

Caroline doesn't look at Elena but makes a dismissal snort.

"He's nobody."

"So you are picking up nobody to french kiss nowadays?" Elena leans backward supporting her thin body on the back rest. Their cab runs fast, passing over the busiest streets. Never ending series of cars accompany them. People are in a mood of party tonight.

"Doesn't that sound better than picking boy friend's elder brother to french kiss?"

"About that," Elena moves closer to her. "Look Care, I wanted to tell you. Lately a lot of things had changed, things are more complicated now than ever."

Caroline glares. "Things got complicated when you met Damon. Honestly I am not interested anymore about your sick love triangle with those two brothers. I feel bad sometimes, when I see how you are screwing up your own life."

"Caroline, please. I can explain."

Caroline shrugs and looks out of the window. She notes Trevor watching both of them. She sighs and replies tiredly.

"Don't explain now Elena, I can't take anything now. We will talk later." She closes her eyes and rests herself in the cushioned seat.

"Caroline?" Elena gently touches her hands and finds them surprisingly cold and moist. "Are you okay?"

"I want to sleep for a while, that's it."

.

_**Recording Elena Gilbert Salvatore:**_

That was the last thing she said to me that night. That she wanted to sleep. After that suddenly we heard a loud ear-piercing noise, a violent jerk shook the cab and next thing I saw was blood. I still can not remember everything clearly, everything went fuzzy after that noise. All that comes back to me is a red sports car running towards us in an uncontrollable speed, and the nervous face of Johnny Sommers behind the wheel. He was found spot dead, so was our driver Trevor. Now the people from those days, who knew Trevor knew very well how good and responsible a driver he was. It was sad you know.

What saddens me most is the other part. I was the one with gushing wounds. I was the one who lose blood. What Caroline had was just a minor wound, but she was the one who ended up being in Intensive Care. The one who ended up in a coma.

I was unconscious for two days. When I came back there was a crowd of my doctors, nurses, my family, friends, and Stefan. Everybody was there except for the two person I wanted to see the most. Then I learned about the surgery and how every plans we made last week went wrong.

I couldn't go and meet her even after she came back. I prayed every morning, hoped every moment that Caroline would be talking again, fighting, arguing with me about my reckless life, I thought it would be easy to talk to her. I was wrong. The instant I got the news of her coming back the burning guilt came back to me. Some how I felt myself responsible for that night, though I couldn't exactly point out how. It took a while to melt that ice between us. It was then whaen she told me how the repressed memories of that accident used to haunt her in the hospital, and how in those lonely, vulnerable moments she found a friend to share her times with.

.  
_**A midnight in November, 1995:**_

Caroline wakes up with her body soaked in sweat. The noise of her car being overthrown by another vehicle ringing in her ear, the shattering of the glasses so real that she can still feel the broken pieces of glass piercing her skin, scraping her outer surface of composure and calmness. She shakes violently in her bed and look around for someone else. Anyone else. The loneliness of her room reminds her she had refused to let the nurse stay in, and she had asked Bonnie to get home and sleep.

But right now she needs someone to speak with.

She sits quietly staring at the white walls, the yellow decorative flowers, the water purifier in her room. She pulls the sheets over her shaking body and wraps herself with it, and after that she simply sits waiting for sunrise.

Losing the track of time is the first symptom of losing one's mind. That is what her father used to say. Caroline wonders if her father ever had such situations to face. She kicks herself out of her bed, forcing her legs to move she tugs out a stole from her belongings and trudges towards the doors. The last thing she needs right now is losing her mind.

She needs air.

The corridor looks empty. She glances at the clock, it blinks 12:30. Usually the hospital is always crowded, but thanks to the special room given to her. She stands a while noting the few nurses working late, oblivious of her presence in the semi dark hallway. She takes a narrow way to the garden, the path is hidden from regular sight and is used by the janitors only. She makes her way directly to the garden, without stopping, without thinking, without blinking or taking a single breath.

The rose bush swing their heads staring at her, as if welcoming her presence in this lonely hours. She touches the petals gently feeling their softness in her skin. She doesn't understand if these are the same plants they planted six years back, or the old ones died when she was out? The fully bloomed flowers smile at her, the green thorny branches clutch the edge of her midnight blue stole. The dark green leaves look alarmed at her touch. She crouches near them playing her fingers with the soft orange petals, in the little light they look dark pinkish to her.

"Hey, how you doing?" She whispers. "Feeling lonesome tonight?"

The roses nod.

"Me too. It's easier when you have people around you."

The roses nod again and bend their heads to the right as the wind blows smoothly caressing them.

"You are not supposed to be here this late." The crisp male voice snaps her back from the trance she was slowly slipping into. She jumps at her feet and turns.

"Klaus, you scared me."

Klaus takes a step closer. She observes the dark red full sleeve sweat shirt on his lean yet firm body. He looks younger, much younger than he looked in the morning.

"You didn't answer me. What are you doing here?" Klaus gives her a serious expression which she reciprocates with same gravity.

"I can ask you the same question. From the way you are dressed, I don't suppose you are still working."

Both of them stares at each other playing the same grave demeanor, scrutinizing each other with a feigning sternness. Although it starts seeming difficult to Caroline in a couple of seconds, she spills a laughter noiselessly.

"I came to see someone and felt this need to smoke a cigarette."

"And I guess I am a certified insane person now who speaks with plants," She straightens herself while speaking. "By the way you cannot smoke anywhere in the hospital premises. You should know that, after all you work here."

He nods and shoves his hands inside his pockets. "You do not like smoking?"

"Does it matter?" She shrugs and wraps herself tightly with the stole.

"Everything matters." Klaus sighs and smiles at her raising his hand. "Would you care to join me for a walk?"

Caroline hesitates. "If someone sees me..."

"I hold enough power to take care of such situation. Trust me."

She waits a second and hives her hand to him.

"So how long they are going to keep you imprisoned here?"

Caroline hears the word 'imprisoned' and smirks. 'Good choice of words."

"Yeah," he shrugs. "I know how it feels. I was here once, and I still remember the scowls the nurses and Dr. Fells used to shoot at me."

"I like it here sometimes, when I am alone. It helps me to think about... stuffs."

"Stuffs like taking solitude from life?"

Caroline glares at him arching one of her brow. "Stuffs those are not to be shared with strangers."

Klaus looks stunned. "I am a stranger to you?"

"Certainly you are. We have met only twice before, besides I don't think you'd be able to understand the things you want me to share."

They stroll following the sidewalk and heads towards the benches.

"You are already taking walk with me after midnight, alone, and since I am sensitive enough to understand whatever stuff it is disturbing you."

To this Caroline widens her eyes. "Wow, you are being quite persuasive." Klaus chuckles lowering his head.

"I am sorry about that, my intention was not to be pushy. "

They decide to sit. The stars glitter over their heads, shimmering as a flimsy sheet engulfing the night sky. Caroline bends her head backwards, allowing her sight to follow the sparkles of the tiny little diamonds.

"You see that star over there, it's named Sirius." Caroline points her right forefinger to the brightest star in the sky. "Famously know as the Dog star."

"Dog star?" She nods to him. "Ah ha. It's the star that completes the figure of the dog. Orion's dog."

"You mean the Hunter?"

"Yes," She skims her finger through the gazillions of stars, drawing invisible lines between a group of stars. "There he is."

"You really know about the stars don't you?" She senses Klaus watching her profile intently.

"Well not a lot but yes, I do know a little. My mom used to tell me when I was a kid."

Klaus looks interested. "Sheriff Forbes is an amazing person. You are lucky to have her as your mother."

"I am." She admits genuinely.

"So would you teach me more about them?"

Caroline narrows her eyes to him. "Are you flirting with me Klaus?"

"I am offering you to let me flirt with you." He winks. "Flirting is a stress-buster."

* * *

_**A/N: My mom used to tell me about stars in the night sky. I miss those days. **_

_**Leave your reviews guys. Give me a good review, I will give you a sneak peak of the next chapter:)**_

_**Till then, have a good time.**_

_**XOXO Lavanya**_


	6. Chapter 5

_**Disclaimer: The characters are creative properties of LJSmith and CW. Although Joseph Morgan and Candice Accola are the names borrowed from the real persons, they do not bear any similarity with the characters in this story. The story line, **__**however,**_ belongs to the author and should not be copied or used without permission.

* * *

**_~~Chapter # 5~~_**

.

_**.**_

_**Joseph's thoughts:**_

Being alone with Candice, spending times without arguing over ant bothersome issues, this is the one thing I least expected to happen in my life. I was never good at expressing myself, and I don't believe I would ever be; but if I could I would definitely tell her how happy I am to have her in this whole thing. She was right, this is a project of our lifetime. As much as I am talking with these people, knowing about those lost days, I am knowing my father a way I have never known him before. This sounds crazy, but I think I like this new version of my father rather than the one every night I have an argument with.

I turn my gaze from the road to Candice, she is lost in her Hunger Games. I bring back my focus to the road again. I hope Candice will drive the way back home. The popular myth about boys is they do not like their girls to drive the vehicle. If you ask me, I do not mind it at all. I think it makes them look much more confident, and well, sexy too. And when Candice drives, even a tree could tell how much she enjoys herself with the steering wheel.

"So what do we know about Dr. Saltzman?" Candice suddenly speaks out. Did she realize That I was watching her?

""Not much, only that he is Dr. Fell's ex-husband, and a family friend of the Salvatores. Don't worry, I talked to him last night and told him everything, he sounded pretty friendly."

"I was just wondering, what if your dd finds out about everything we are trying to do?"

My heart stops beating for a moment. Not like I didn't ever think of that possibility, but the only thing that kept me get going was a hope to find out answers to some questions back from my childhood. Dad is a strict person, particularly strict when it comes to crossing the lines, and as much as I am concerned, I have crossed the line when I first shot the old bartender. I pull out a courageous face and try to smile.

"He won't find out."

"There must be some reason why he kept this hidden from everyone all this time, and I don't really think he will be happy about it."

Sometimes I don't understand this girl. Once she is totally enthusiastic, an optimist who fears nothing; and the next moment she is scared like a little girl who is caught sneaking out of her house.

"Last night I was just asking my mother about those days, and she said us how shocked they all were to know your dad's decision of marriage. He was still in love with Caroline when your mother came in his life. Definitely there was a reason he decided to get married to someone else, some very strong reason you know, because what mom said, he never really liked your mom." She says, as if reading my mind, and made an apologizing face soon enough. "No offense."

"None taken." Dad never really liked mom even after their marriage, I still remember the day when their non stop arguments and fights took a cold twist. It was their marriage anniversary, I was seven years old. That night something happened that i never got to know, but after that one night they became stone cold to each other. Gram, my aunts, uncles, no one of them succeeded to bring back the lost warmth in their relationship.

Or maybe their was no warmth at all, nothing to lost.

"We will see, don't worry about that now." I say and wonder, how did I sound so stern? She goes back to the page she was reading.

"Have you received your letters?" She asks after a while. I look at her questioning. "From the colleges I mean. Which ones did you apply?"

I do not answer her back. The fact is, the colleges I have been applied are not the ones everybody expects me to apply in. Not my dad, not my friends, not Candice. I do not count my mother in such occasions, she rarely gets time to pressurize herself with these burdensome matters. Her socializing circle though, is greatly interested in whatever I am doing.

"I haven't applied anywhere yet. I think I will take a break and figure out... stuffs."

"Oh." Candice stares at em with her eyes narrowed and says, "i have applied in New York Academy of Dance. They have an extensive program and they also offer scholarships." Which she will get for no doubt. she is gifted.

"You will have a great future there." I say. I think of Phoebe at the moment. She is going through the same situation. Last night I had a little chat with her and I realized it was better to discuss things with your friends rather than suffering in silence. I wish I could share these problems with Candice, but I am not sure how she is going to handle it. After all it was only the last year when we used to mock each other, insult whenever we had chance, and couldn't even stand each other's sight.

"Here we are." I say pulling over my car in the garage of the small two storied residence of Dr. Alaric Saltzman.

* * *

_**Recording Dr. Alaric Saltzman~~**_

Ahhh... Those letters. I came to know about them after eight long years. It was pretty dramatic to be honest. I was having this fight with Mer and suddenly she blurted out about how devoted a man could be to his love, and how badly I needed to learn from him. Youngsters nowadays think they are the crazy ones doing all crazy things in love. Sure they should know about this.

I knew him from my school days, and I knew how talented and romantic he was. Even then i never imagined he would do anything like that. When I met Caroline Forbes I knew at once why he did that. He was in love. Pathetically.

One morning he came storming into Meredith's cabin. His face showed clear signs of disappointment.

"Are you releasing her?" He demanded in a strong voice. By the time no one of us required to remind who this 'her' might be.

"Yes I am, but why are you looking so upset?"

"Because I am not sure if releasing her this soon is such a good idea."

Meredith took a small pause before speaking, observing his attitudes. He was restless, confused, and disheartened.

"Here, why don't you sit down for a while? I will get myself a coffe until you two are done talking." I showed him a seat and cleared my throat. I felt the need to leave the two of them alone, even though he did not ask me to leave it was somewhat of a private matter. But it was also a medical issue. He looked at me, for the first time since he stepped into the cabin I realized how vulnerable he must be feeling. His eyes had the longing look.

"No need Rick." He dismissed my idea of coffee and shifted back to Meredith. "Is she really alright, ready to leave?"

Meredith understood his disturbance better than I did. Her comforting smile confirmed that. "Of course she is. as a matter of fact, her internal injuries were cured a long time back. The coma was more like something self-induced. I have checked all her reports and trust me, she is alright."

He was not convinced, not fully. "What if any symptom shows up after she leaves?"

"She can always come back and see me. I have scheduled her to visit me every three or four days. That will be fine." Hearing that he averted his eyes from Meredith, but his breathing remained the same erratic and his face looked as red as ever.

"Are you just concerned of her health or you're disturbed because she is leaving?" I asked him very carefully because I knew what a wrong question may bring up on me. I knew him for too long to not know these things.

He lowered his head and just smiled. "If it's her time to leave the hospital and start over living her real life, then she must leave. My disturbances or refutes do not matter. I'd better leave you two alone." He left the cabin throwing a greeting wrapped with a meaningful smirk. I watched him and when I came back to my seat Meredith was blushing.

The next morning I caught them talking. He arrived early that morning to see her off, and apparently she was waiting to see him too. Her smile, her eyes, her gait, everything was changed in his presence. I wondered what they talked about that morning, but they were together for three ling hours, until Sheriff Forbes came with Bonnie.

That was the last time I saw them in the hospital premises, together and happy.

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_**A/N: I almost shut myself off from the rest of the world for six days, until last night when I started missing Klaus, Damon and other vampires. So I decided to finally finish writing (I started writing this one last week) and post the next chapter. **_

_**Leave your reviews guys. Give me a good review, I will give you a sneak peak of the next chapter:)**_

_**Till then, have a good time.**_

_**XOXO Lavanya**_


	7. Chapter 6

_**Disclaimer: The characters are creative properties of LJSmith and CW. Although Joseph Morgan and Candice Accola are the names borrowed from the real persons, they do not bear any similarity with the characters in this story. The story line, **__**however,**_ belongs to the author and should not be copied or used without permission.

* * *

**_~~Chapter # 6~~_**

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_**.**_

"So leaving the hospital?" Caroline turns on her heels sensing Klaus standing behind her. It's been a while knowing him, and from a whiff of his perfume she could now detect whenever he is around. A smile slips her mouth seeing him, she eyes him up and down for a short moment before answering.

"I was asking Meredith if I could get a quarter in the hospital premises but she seemed reluctant, most probably she realized how swiftly I can make all her admirers fall for me." She shrugs. "My list was just starting to get longer and prettier." Sigh.

"Admirers? That sounds interesting. So how long is that list of yours?"

"Pretty long. You know there are a lot of people in this hospital who considered themselves lucky to have their names in that list. And there is one more list of the people I like to spend some time with."

Klaus chuckles as he eyes Caroline with amusement and adoration. "So is there any tall dark and handsome guy whose name starts with a 'K' and who works in this hospital, and who very selfishly wishes you to stay here some more days so that his blunt daily routine gets a little spiced up?"

"Let me think," Caroline twinkles her pretty eyes and makes a face. "No, there is no such man there."

Klaus touches his chest where an organ is thumping now faster than it usually does. "You broke my heart Caroline Forbes.

"You didn't let me finish. If he shows some courage and tells me something about his blunt daily routine maybe I can make some adjustments."

They stares at each other, a comfortable silence wraps them surreptitiously.

"How is he supposed to tell you about his blunt daily routine when you are not here?" He whispers, Caroline spots a hint of diffidence in his tone.

"I don't know, he can meet me, or invite me to go for a walk or something."

.  
_**.**_

_**Recording Bonnie:**_

We were happy that Caroline got back home to her regular life. Although we knew it was going to be difficult for her to cope up with the changes time had brought to the town and its people, we tried our level best to not to make that obvious on her face. All of us were changed a little bit, we had moved on in our lives except her. Elena had shifted to Denver a year back, we were busy in our college and future plannings, I was dating Jeremy. Caroline on the other hand was still stuck in her Graduation days. It took her a while to catch up, and she did that pretty well than we thought she would be. Then came the difficult part that left all of us a little apprehensive of her. She started brooding over her damages, and when Caroline, of all people, was brooding the sunny weather of Mystic Falls automatically went gloomy.

Luckily we were having Elena with us now. She made it back to home as soon as she was free of her responsibilities back in Denver.

That morning was cloudy, and humidity in the air was almost killing us. Elena was trying to make the best of the morning by cooking Mac and Cheese and playing all sorts of good music. We three were huddling over the kitchen when the doorbell rang. we were expecting Liz to come home but when Caroline answered the door she found something else. There was a package sitting on the doormat.

"Wow, it's a gift from someone who preferred not to attach a name card." Elena chimed from the kitchen. Caroline's perplexed stare fixated at the box until I poke her on her ribs.

"Ow Bon that hurts."

"Open it Care, there's no bomb inside cause we know whoever the sender is he doesn't want you to get killed." That is when Elena realized that there is something she still didn't know about.

"You girls know who the sender is?" She smiled awkwardly. "Who is it?"

I rolled my eyes and told her everything about the letters and the small romantic sketches. Her jaw dropped and eyes popped out of the sockets. Somehow Damon and Stefan Salvatore had convinced her that if there was girl worth enough to send romantic gifts and letters to in the entire town it was her. I don't disagree with that, but the thing is, she was not the only one you know.

"So this guy wrote you letters all this time when you were sleeping. That is so..." She was still recovering from her shock, "Romantic."

""It's creepy. This guy thinks he has the monopoly in being romantic and he can send anyone anything anytime he wants. This would be romantic if he had met me in person and gave me these gifts. He is just lucky that I didn't tell mom anything about these crappy gifts." Caroline made an expression as though she were going to tear off all her beautiful golden silky hair in the next second. Me and Elena both rolled our eyes at this response.

"Come on, we know you are not going to tell Liz anything, not until he shows up at your doorstep."

"Do you think he would ever show up at my doorstep?"

Elena patted her hands and smiled heartily. "Who knows, maybe he already had and you never realized? I think you know this guy."

This was the moment me and Caroline both were staring at her incredulously. I spoke my confusion first. "Tell me you don't know this romantic-letters-guy."

"I don't know this romantic-letters-guy; but there is something very weird about this."

I raised my eyebrow hanging the same question in my face that Caroline was dying to ask.

"You remember when I lost my favorite book and one morning I found a new book in the library just as if someone left it for me, and then got the small card inside the pages?" Of course we did. "Gone with the Wind" was the book that drove Elena crazy, and when she lost the ten years old edition she cried a river. Two days later there was a brand new hardback edition waiting for her in the library with a card inside,_ 'Love stories are meant to handle with care. - D' _We needed no FBI to find out who the 'D' was but it was a cute incident in our lives.

"I knew Damon very well then, as Stefan's brother of course, and I never suspected him to be the mysterious 'D'." She was pink already.

"Well we did and we said that to you too, but you were too busy speculating that you didn't see it in his eyes." Caroline shrugged and robbed my line. I simply nodded.

"The point is Damon was leaving the gifts without letting me know that it was him. For him it was a small and sweet game. Something like a puzzle game. So maybe your guy is trying to do the same thing with you? Maybe you know him and he wants you to solve this little puzzle."

I exchanged a glance with Caroline. This made sense, because Mystic Falls was full of idiotic youngsters at that time. Even now when they are themselves parents of teenagers they could act really crazy. I noticed the box was still sitting there, untouched and unopened.

"We'll know better when we'll get to see what's inside." Caroline cut the stain ribbon and tugged the cello-tape gently off the gift wrap not letting it tear the soft reddish-brown paper and pulled out the cover of the box. The three of us peeked inside. There was something bluish-green staring back at us.

"What is it?" Caroline whispered and pulled out the material and we all fell silent for a small moment. Next minute there was laughter and squeals.

"A raincoat? He sand you a raincoat?" The semi transparent raincoat seemed like it was custom made for the receiver, as it draped her body perfectly saving all the features.

"What the hell?" Caroline laughed out seeing herself in the mirror.

"Okay there is something else in your pocket Care." Elena pointed to a paper peeking its head out of the right pocket.

"It must be another letter huh?" I asked, and... Yes it was.

_"Dear Caroline,_

_Did you ever visit the Fells Church in a rainy day? As much as I know your mother's protectiveness and possessiveness over her daughter, I believe you never did. But you have got to trust me on this, the old and seemingly creepy place turns into a small piece of heaven when it rains. The trees enclose the heaven in a tight barrier so that no human could invade in, but if you know the right paths you are always welcome to appreciate the view. Because of the police headquarters nearby, and the Lockwoods' private property edging at the west of the place fells Church is completely safe from the scary people. Still if you are not feeling much courageous then you may bring your girlfriends too. I am sure they will enjoy the spot as much as I do myself._

_P.S - Don't forget to bring coffee in your thermos, the jar in the box is really a good one. I hope you will love the exotic flavor."_

"There is a jar of coffe inside the box?" Elena ran to fetch the box and grinned at us. "Oh my god it's really good, and expensive. Care, I must say this guy is one in a million."

Caroline flipped the paper absentmindedly. On the back of the page there is a small sketch. A rainy day in the Fells Church.

_**.**_

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_**Candice's thoughts:**_

Fells Church is awesome when it rains. Fog and mists surround the tomb of Honoria Fells and the old dilapidated mansion of the Salvatore's, the one the founder fathers of this town had for themselves. The whole place smells divine, a strange mix of wild flowers and wet soil and leaves. Its so intoxicating that time fleets without even anyone could realize. I wonder if Caroline went to that place?

"That place is seriously a piece of heaven you know." Joseph sighs while watching the recording in his laptop.

"You have been there?" I look at him, surprised. The basketball champion of school never really appeared to be a romantic nature-lover kind to me.

"I did a couple of times, to get some good landscapes for my portfolio." I stare at him. "The environment there is surreal. You feel like you're in a far land."

"I know, and when it rains it feels like a fairy tale or something. As a matter of fact, last year in that play we staged in the inter-school drama competition, the final scene was somewhat inspired by the place. I mean the backgrounds."

"I remember, it was where Cinderella and her prince charming kissed each other. I sensed the similarity but never really asked you because..." He stops abruptly.

"Because we never really talked to each other." I finish the line for him and look at his face.

"How come we never got to talk about this with each other?" Joseph smirks and I feel my cheeks heating.

"Honestly, this is something I want to know too."

"So do you think they went there? Caroline and her friends?"

I nod, and then shake my head.

"I am not sure, but I want to believe she did."

* * *

_**A/N: **__**Leave your reviews guys. Give me a good review, I will give you a sneak peak of the next chapter:)**_

_**Till then, have a good time.**_

_**XOXO Lavanya**_


	8. Chapter 7

_**A/N: This chapter is a bit long, but I enjoyed writing this chapter.**_

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_**.**_

_**Disclaimer: The characters are creative properties of LJSmith and CW. Although Joseph Morgan and Candice Accola are the names borrowed from the real persons, they do not bear any similarity with the characters in this story. The story line, **__**however,**_ belongs to the author and should not be copied or used without permission.

* * *

**_~~Chapter # 7~~_**

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_**Candice's thoughts:**_

"Did she go there? Fells Church? Did you go with her too?" Too excited to hide my impatience I ask Mrs. Elena Gilbert Salvatore, Nina's mother. I never felt so comfortable around her - I don not feel much comfortable around any of the prying adults to be honest, thanks to their over-protective demeanor - but the point is, I am really liking her and the others right now. Not because of the awesome stories they are sharing with me and Joseph but because they are actually sharing the stories. I did not expect them to do this but somehow Joseph's charm had got them convinced, for which I am proud of this guy. I glanced at Joseph's direction from the brink of my eyes and noticed his eyebrows pulling together.

"It's alright Jo." Elena smiles, apparently the disappointing look Jo shot me went ot her.

Wait, did she just say Jo?

"We all did, exactly the same day we received the raincoat and coffee. Me, Bonnie, and Caroline. But nothing happened that day. Can you imagine hoe heart-broken we were? Okay Bon was not much but me and Caroline we were feeling pretty low because both of us were expecting to see him."

"So he didn't come?" Joseph 'Jo' exclaims, I try not to look sarcastic when I look at him.

Elena shrugs. "Not in front of us."

Joseph shifts in his seat uncomfortably, which means he is just as eager to hear the story as I am. I stare at the lady in front of us blinklessly. Suddenly I notice Elena Salvatore is pretty gorgeous, and I also realize why two brothers were competing each other to get her.

_**Recording Elena:**_

Bonnie was making fun of the mysterious guy continuously, which in fact came from the adoration she was having for him. If we didn't know her better we would take her as a cynic friend who sees no good in the planet, but our life-long relationship with her told us that she had started to admire the guy for his gestures.

"Next Saturday night he is gonna drop you a mini-refrigerator full of chilled beer Care. I hope you won't forget to call us and share your Saturday night honey." She mimicked Pearl, the music teacher of our school. Caroline snorted and glanced at us.

"I have better things to do in a Saturday night. Besides I already have a mini-refrigerator so I'd prefer if he just lives the beer on my doorstep."

"How about hamburgers? I love hamburgers. Do you think he would drop you hamburgers? Man he must get them from the new outlet behind Grills." Bonnie went on closing her eyes dreamily, I could actually see her salivating, although I was not sure what she was salivating for.

"Right," I nodded agreeing with her. "How about a pepperoni pizza? You know Grills has launched their new Italian cuisine outlet last month."

Unable to endure more, Caroline suddenly jumped on her seat and turned her face to us. "Do you girls seriously think this guy works in a restaurant or something? Why don't you just go and use yourselves and your boyfriends and order whatever you want from where ever you want? Just leave this poor guy alone for God's sake."

"You mean we can't use your boyfriend to get us lunch?" Bonnie smirked and I felt a surge of giggle in my stomach. Caroline sighed, rested her head on the steering wheel and after sometime she broke into a smile with us. We were enjoying ourselves but more than that we were enjoying her smile.

We spent the whole day in Fells Church relishing the snacks we brought from the Grills and the coffee Caroline brewed for all of us. It was like the old days we missed so much in the past three years. That was the only time we went there together. A week after that morning Caroline went back again to that place, alone. She was not supposed to do that because we made it clear that she cannot go out alone until Meredith permits her to do so. It was an excuse though, to keep her safe from the rest of the brutal changes and all, and it was Bonnie's idea. But she went there anyway. I guess she was falling for him.

I remember the next Sunday very well. We had called her several times in the morning. She didn't take our calls. We had left our messages and she didn't call us back. It was getting frustrating, not knowing what was going on. Her house was locked and her mother was busy in meetings with the councilmen of the town. Basically we were left with no option. In the afternoon we decided to call Stefan who happened to be a very good friend of Care's. He came running with Matt and Jeremy trailing him in another car.

"Did you check on the library?" Jeremy asked me the first question.

"I checked the library, school, hospital, and every possible place she could be going to. Trust me Jer it's serious and we need to do something about it."

Bonnie nodded and joined our discussion. "We were wondering if Stefan knew anything but clearly he doesn't."

"Her phone is switched off." Stefan paced around my living room. "Did she say anything to you, like some plans to go somewhere or meet someone?" We shook our heads in unison.

"Oh my god I am freaking out now." I clutched the edge of our dining table and stood without making any motion. "What if someone kidnaps her?"

"Elena please stop it." Matt breathed and raised his hands. "We need to be cool and calm."

"Of course. Does anyone know about the notorious gang Liz caught last week? One of the gang is still out there hiding." I whispered and rested slumped myself in a chair nearby.

"We should go out and try to find her out." The boys started walking out of the house together leaving us behind. We stood up and decided, we were going with them.

"No you can't. In case she comes back home she would need someone to receive her there right?" Stefan patted my shoulders. "Don't worry Elena we will find her."

Time passed out in an excruciatingly slow pace. Every second was like a living hell to us. It was raining outside, we were almost stuck. After an hour of failed attempts Stefan finally called us. "We should call Liz."

"You think? Stefan please tell me she is safe," Before I could say anything else Bonnie snatched the phone from my hands. "Stefan do you think its that serious?" I could not hear what Stefan said but Bonnie gave him monosyllable replies. After a while she sat by me and held my hands.

That was when someone knocked the door. We heard two very familiar voices and almost bounced our way downstairs. Outside the door Damon was standing with Caroline dressed in her bluish green raincoat and a flashy grin.

"My car broke down in the middle of the road. Damon found me and gave me a lift. Can I use your phone Elena?" She asked innocently.

"Where the hell were you? And why the hell is your cell phone switched off?" I yelled shocking both Damon and her. Bonnie shook her head and started dialing Stefan's number form her phone. I repeated my question once again more fiercely. I was so mad at them that I could have killed them, rip off their heads, and do more horrible things given a tiny bit of encouragement. But I didn't because I needed answers and explanations.

"I went to Fells Church, the battery of my phone died, I was on my way back to home when it happened. We were coming back together when Damon stopped at the Grills to pick up some take away. What the hell is your problem?"

_**In the Fells Church, watching the rain...**_

The tiny droplets fall in a rhythm over the green leaves, leaving a silvery trail behind them. They glitter, and when a thin ray of sun somehow slips through the thick gray blanket of clouds and it touches the pearl like droplet it breaks into a beautiful spectrum. Caroline never imagined herself to be seated in a tomb centuries old, munch on wafers and drink coffee and practically wait for the guy who insisted on her doing so in the first place. She sips some coffee and stares at the free falling pearls and crystals while enjoying the sounds of rain. Crickets sing along with the rain as though there is an orchestra going on only to entertain the audience of one person in there. She inhales the strange fragrance of the wet air and suddenly feels so... new. So refreshing, so different that she could forget every ounce of burden that has been crushing her for almost over a month now. She feels better than the Caroline who was suffering from a major accident. Three years from her life has been stolen and she's absolutely helpless, but all the mess she'd been seeing ever since coming back from the hospital seems like a dream now. Like a disturbingly depressing nightmare.

Someone clears his throat and she snaps her head to the far left of the tomb. She finds a tall man standing there under a tree, staring at her. She recognizes him at once and waves her left hand placing her coffee mug on the large bolder beside her. He strides towards her with a small grin plastered on his face.

"What are you doing here Caroline?"

Caroline shrugs. "Just enjoying the view. Come over here Klaus, or else you'll be soaked in a minute."

Klaus looks upwards at the dilapidated arch owning over the tomb with a frightened look. "What if that crashes down over us?"

"It won't, just come on. Watch your steps."

He maintains that frightened look in his face, although he doesn't seem to have any other idea as he keeps walking to her. "Are you sure because it looks like it's just waiting for a perfect prey to kill."

"If it does then you will have the privilege of dying with the most beautiful girl of Mystic Falls. Caroline Forbes, one and only." Caroline flashes an assurance with her curled lips and extends her hand. "So what brought you here?"

Klaus strips off his dark gray raincoat and eyes her with her bag and thermos placed neatly beside her. "I often come here, especially when it rains. I love the fragrance of wet soil. How did you know about this place?"

"Someone told me that this place looks like a small piece of heaven. I see he was right." Caroline wraps her hands around her knees and leans backwards.

"He? Your boyfriend?"

"Wow," Caroline whispers. "You are trying to ask me about my love life. Great."

Together the two of them sit quietly, watching the rain. The place fills with a misty curtain of fog when the rain started to cease.

"This fog never goes out of this place." Klaus whispers.

"It's beautiful." Caroline says, and the crickets' song shuts up both of them. They sit resting their back on the stones. After a while Caroline hands him a mug full of steaming coffee without uttering a word. he takes the mug and sips in the warm indulgence.

**_Candice in Fells Church..._**

I knew about the place, of course. The ruins of Fells Church had inspired me in many ways. The plays I had participated in, the music I love to hear, my choreography skills, well pretty much every part of my creative being is somehow inspired by this place along with some other spots. Heritage spots leave a good effect on me, always.

Today is a nice day to visit the place I guess. I run my eyes around the ruins and the wood and feel a cold drop of water on my fore head. That followed by another on my cheek compels me to look upwards.

And it's raining. Wow. I whisper to myself. Isn't this just great?

I run to the tomb nearby, the arch is still there after all these years. I hope it wont crush down over me.

Just as I step inside the shady tomb I bump into something strong firm and really warm.

"Candice, what are you doing here?" I shoot a shocked look at the face of the strong, firm and really warm something.

"Joseph, What are you doing here?"

Joseph stares at me as if I am a ghost. I stare at him as he is the - I take a sharp breath - most incredible man I have ever met.

Sometimes when the nature speaks your mind, silence could turn into the best background score you could have.

* * *

_**A/N: **__**Leave your reviews guys. Give me a good review people, I crave for them.**_

_**Have a great weekend.**_

_**XOXO Lavanya**_

_**P.S.: Have any of you guys watched 'Dear John" ? It's a Channing Tatum movie and if you are a romantic you're gonna love it and cry like a baby while watching it. Go and try it this weekend.**_


	9. Chapter 8

_**Befor starting I want to thank all of you who are following this story, leaving your reviews. It feels great to read them.**_

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_**.**_

_**Disclaimer: The characters are creative properties of LJSmith and CW. Although Joseph Morgan and Candice Accola are the names borrowed from the real persons, they do not bear any similarity with the characters in this story. The story line, **__**however,**_ belongs to the author and should not be copied or used without permission.

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**_~~Chapter # 8~~_**

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_**Joseph's thoughts:**_

Suddenly she is not the girl I am filming my short movie with. Suddenly she is Candice Accola, the fearful and confused, slightly fleshy new kid in the school with a tangled mess of golden curls in her head and a huge bag on her back. Suddenly I am the skinny lanky twelve year old boy in the class looking over the crowd. Suddenly I am back in the rainy first day of our year, standing with my best friend Mike holding my new camera, the birthday gift uncle presented me last week. She is checking on her schedule, glancing around throwing a baffled expression at every direction. I watch her as she walks passing through the crowd of kids huddling near the landing of the staircases, occasionally looking around as if searching a familiar face.

I remember what my uncle said while showing how to use a camera for the first time. I learned by using his old camera, he taught me both about recording a video and taking a still. "Here kiddo, this is a simple instrument that can turn anything from blunt to colorful. You just need to look through it." It is addictive. When you look through a lens the very familiar and knowing world looks entirely different. Like the new girl. I see her through my camera and BAM... She looks like a dreamy pretty girl straight out from a movie. Is it possible that I just found my soul mate?

Well uncle would laugh at me if I say this, especially after I told her how I felt for Nina.

I stare at her through the lens, and chuckle quietly. She is wearing a yellow t-shirt with jeans. her eyes are shifting from one place to another, halting in some places for a small second and then bouncing again to another. Without realizing, I frame her in my camera. She looks upstairs where Nina is standing with Kat. In the next still she is tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. She unnecessarily adjusts her t-shirt and looks uncomfortable. I take more snaps, until she looks directly and stops on her track.

She stops looking at me.

I snap my camera behind my back and simper sheepishly, confirmed that she has seen me taking her pictures. A thought crosses my mind, one involving Sara Canning, the hottest girl in junior high. The one where she slapped Matt Davis for taking her pictures without her permission. of course she was in swim wear, in a red swim wear, and dad said it was a bad idea to take her picture like that. But the noise of that slap echoed in the walls of our school for a long time, until we got another story to laugh on.

The last thing I need now is to become the next 'Matt Davis' in front of the whole school.

"Joseph, what are you doing here?" Instead of slapping, she jerks me slightly. I try to look clearly through my puzzlement and a cold drop of water shivers me.

Okay so I am in the Fells Church, not in my school. and this is 2013, I am already eighteen and Candice is... she is in my arms.

I remember whatever happened earlier. She came here most probably for the same reason I did, the rain started, she ran in to me, she tripped, I caught her and now we are standing together near the tomb of Honoria Fells.

"It's raining." I say, she frowns at me.

"Good observation." She walks away from me to save herself from the rain.

No, she didn't slap me that morning in the school. She didn't realize that I was framing her. Her sight was fixed to the girl standing behind me. She didn't even notice me, even though I was the tallest guy in my class. I feel a bit disheartened. why didn't she notice me at all?

I walk behind her and gesture to a clean spot, well comparatively clean spot where we can sit for a while and watch the rain. I can take some good shots from the spot, and catch the ethereal beauty of the place to insert them in my movie later.

Candice observes me while I set my lenses and take several shots of the rain. I wish she'd say something but she remains quiet. I reciprocate her quietude with mine, and several questions peak through the grayish curtains inside my head.

If I had left a letter for Candice, asking her to come and visit this place in a rainy afternoon, would she be here?

Had I left her all the pictures I had taken without her permission, would she react the way Caroline did? Would she blush? Would she smile secretly thinking about me and the pictures?

There are very rare moments when she blushes. She used to be a little clumsy, sometimes awkward while meeting new people, but everytime she stepped into the dance floor she kind of meta-morphed herself into something like a pixie. We used to wonder how she did that, being a fat girl in her childhood.

As time passed she turned more svelte, more graceful around the dance floor, more glorious under the limelight. Wasn't it a miracle itself? I recorded all her shows after she started performing in the dance club of our school. I also recorded every show she did as one of the best students of Sheila Bennett. I have recorded her improvements as a dancer, as well as her changes from a girl to a lady. Is she even aware of that?

_**Candice's thoughts:**_

I know Joseph was the one who shot the video of the play I did last month; 'show' he calls them. But when I went to thank him about that he started to ramble about things I am clueless about. Before I could say him anything he left. That was humiliating right? Of course that was humiliating. Now stuck with him in a beautiful rain I have to think how to start a conversation.

I sigh and try to think about something else. I think of Greys Anatomy, and the image of Sloan appears into my mind. The next image is Alex and Izzie making out. Only it's me in the place of Izzie. That's a great kiss.

I sigh again and suddenly there is Edward Cullen. "You are my personal brand of Heroine Bella." I try to imagine how Joseph would say that to Bella in his special coy yet crisp accent. Couldn't help myself, I giggle.

"What is so funny?"

I look at him and shake my head. I need to say something sober, something that doesn't evoke giggles.

"So did you take those shots of Bonnie Gilbert last night?"

It was too late last evening when finally Bonnie Bennett Gilbert called me and invited us over to her house. Her husband Jeremy Gilbert was out of town and she was finally free in a month to talk to us.

But as I said, it was too late. So Joseph went there all by himself. From the way he got along with the ladies I don't suppose he had any problem shooting her alone. I swallow the sarcasm and try to look amiable to him.

"Did you get what you were looking for?"

"Not yet." Joseph shrugs and turns to me. "I will, very soon I guess."

I nod understandingly.

"You want to see it?"

"Huh?" I look up startled.

"You wanna see the recording?"

"Yeah sure. That will be great."

_**Recording Bonnie Bennett Gilbert~~**_

Love is not what you plan for yourself and calculate your way to make your plan successful. You do not plan anything about what your life is going to be in the future. You do not plan how you are going to end up when you are old. Just the same way you do not plan to have seven cats in your house and no husband at all, or to have an irresponsible daughter or a drug addict son.

And most certainly you do not plan which man you are going to fall in love with.

Caroline always liked Tyler Lockwood as a friend. If she had a chance to chose she would have chosen Tyler to be the one. She had said these things a thousand times to me and Elena. She tried too, maybe if the accidents were not there Caroline and Tyler would go to college together. But the accidents were still there reminding all of us it's brutal presence every day.

One evening she dropped a question when I was silently cursing my plumber. My home was battling with a terrible flood which was caused by the leaked pipeline, and we were sitting on a corner waiting for the guy and trying to clean up the mess. We were soaked in our evening dresses, and brooding because our girls night was ruined.

"Do you think a girl can fall in love with a person without seeing his face?" I arched my brow at the question, it was almost an obvious reaction for me. She managed herself in a moment. "I was just asking, you know, hypothetically."

"Hypothetically I think if you have a friend who receives love letters and romantic sketches from an anonymous admirer and she asks such a question about falling in love with a guy whose face is hidden behind the fog, well it's something serious."

She rolled her eyes. "It's not like that Bon."

"So it's like what?"

"I was in love with Tyler you know. He used to do beautiful things for me, crazy cute stuffs. But then this accident happened. Now when I see around myself I just feel like life has drastically changed in this three years."

I nodded in agreement. "Yes it has."

"Then I see you and Elena, you are always with me, protecting me, helping me to survive. Stefan and Damon act like nothing ever happened. Matt and Jeremy look at me like it was just last evening when I got drunk and embarrassed myself in front of the whole school. But the next moment when I see that large lapis-lazuli engagement ring on Elena's hand, Jeremy kissing you, Matt and April Young sharing a stolen glance, everything seems just unreal. At those moments only the letters feel like real world to me."

"I get it." I said assuring her. "It is qiute natural to feel like this. But Care you need to remember that this person could be anyone, and you cannot rely on him just on the basis of his letters and sketches. What if he is not worth enough?" I know I sounded pessimist to her, I always do sound pessimist. It's a fact that is unchangeable in my character, looking into the practical aspects which are often considered as the negative ones. I don't mind, to be honest. You need someone to think about the odds and the negatives too right?

"Maybe what Elena was saying was right? Maybe he is someone I know very well."

"Or maybe it's a SHE?"

Caroline's eyes widened as she contemplated the possibility. "It might be some nurse who took care of you, and left those stuffs for you?"

Even though we spent the next ten minutes laughing and giggling, but it was clearly written on her face. She was falling in love with the letter-writer and there was nothing we could do about it.

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_**A/N: **__**Leave your reviews guys. Give me a good review people, I crave for them.**_

_**Have a great weekend.**_

_**XOXO Lavanya**_


	10. Chapter 9

_**Befor starting I want to thank all of you who are following this story, leaving your reviews. It feels great to read them. **_

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_**Disclaimer: The characters are creative properties of LJSmith and CW. Although Joseph Morgan and Candice Accola are the names borrowed from the real persons, they do not bear any similarity with the characters in this story. The story line, **__**however,**_ belongs to the author and should not be copied or used without permission.

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**_~~Chapter # 9~~_**

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_**Recording Bonnie Bennett Gilbert~~**_

Days were passing by without any significant event, and after catching up with the rest of the world Caroline was getting more and more upset. We were there helping her out, well trying to help her out, but there are somethings you need to face all by your self. Fears, insecurities, distractions, lacking of control and focus... She was losing her weight, a dark shaded cloud was shading the regions around her eyes. The natural pink lush of her skin was slowly fading away, and so was our initial joy of getting her back. Liz was anxious, Meredith was doing all sorts of check-ups and tests, and we were visiting her every day.

Finally we all convinced her to visit Dr. Lillian Jones for counselling. Visiting a shrink was definitely not a welcome idea for her, although she was accepting the fact that she needed some help and that sort of help is only something a professional can provide.

So that morning Caroline was stepping out of the hospital with a heav heart. The first appointment with Dr. Jones did not go as well as we expected. Basically they just sat quietly talking about weather, the new cloth lines they featured in the latest issue of the fashion magazine, and how pretty Caroline was looking in her curls. Opening up was a small problem in her case, especially when she realized that she was carrying a limelight everywhere she was going, a limelight that screamed 'meet Caroline Forbes, the girl who came back after three years long coma.'

She stared blankly around herself. There was a busy crowd around her. Some of them were patients, some were the doctors and nurses working for the hospital. Also there were the interns, bursting into laughter and chatting enthusiastically. She was just about to start a bit better with the anticipation of having a better situation once her sessions with Dr. Jones worked out, when she realized she had nothing to do for the rest of the day. The emptiness came back rushing towards her in waves after waves.

"Missing someone?" She whirled around and faced him.

"Klaus?" Surprise, surprise.

"What I work here. What is so surprising about it?"

"Nothing. Its just that... that you are standing here behind me, and smiling, and I never really noticed when you came."

Klaus grinned highlighting his dimples. "Because you were too busy watching those interns over there." He pointed the group of young doctors gossiping in a serious tone. "They are the first year residents. See that girl in pink shirt, she just got engaged. Most probably they are gossiping about the party night. There was a little dramatic moment there, worth-gossiping."

"What happened?" Caroline spotted the girl, her reddening cheeks told she was stifling a loud laughter in her stomach.

"That's funny story I can tell you if you buy me a coffee." Klaus gave her an evil smirk and said, "you must pay for the good things. Er... gossips."

They decided the hospital cafeteria was a good place to chat. With coffe in their hands and sandwich in their plates they went on about every sort of mundane things in the town. Including the worth-gossiping incident in the pink-shirt's engagement party.

"This guy, Justin, a fifth-year resident suddenly took over the stage and announced his love for Wendy, a nurse. And to make the thin more movie-ish, the microphone was on. Imagine that moment when Justin said the extraordinary things about Wendy's anatomy those drive him crazy."

"What?" Caroline started giggling hard. "Please tell me you are making that up. I mean seriously?"

Klaus guffawed with her compelling the rest of the staffs in the cafeteria smirk.

"Oh my god. That sort of things never happen in real lives. Seriously."

"This happens," Klaus composed himself gaining his self-consciousness back. "When you are so drunk that you forget your own surname, I think that's the most sober thing that could happen."

"Okay this is really something worth-gossiping. How's Wendy doing?"

"We'll find that out today. She went for a leave after that party." Klaus took a large bite of his sandwich. "god I was starving. I missed my breakfast this morning."

"Do you think she'll be okay?" Caroline sounded a little concerned, although the flushes of laughter were still coloring her cheeks.

"Trust me Wendy loves such attention."

After a while they were heading to the road. "Do you have your car?" Klaus asked looking around.

"No I will call a cab. Don't worry about that."

"No." Klaus yelled suddenly looking anxiously. "don't call a cab."

"Excuse me?"

Klaus breathed fast. "I will drop you."

"What? Why? I mean don't you need to go to your office and..."

"I am going that way, so I can drop you. That's what I am saying. Please, Miss Caroline Forbes, can I have this honor?"

Caroline blinked and nodded her head.

When Caroline came home she was smiling, her eyes were staring at the floor. I was waiting for her to show up for almost forty-five minutes, and when she spotted me, the first thing she said was, "I have a date tomorrow. A non-date date actually, Klaus asked me if I'd like to spend my Saturday with him."

_**A conversation in a cloudy Saturday morning:**_

"Can we just walk?" Caroline smiles sweetly and Klaus looks perplexed. "It's a nice morning, I'd love to walk if you have no objection with that."

Klaus slams shut the front door of his car that he opened for her. _A nice touch of chivalry... _Caroline muses and flashes her best smile again to the confused man before her.

"Sure. Please." Klaus shows her the way, although this is the place she grew up.

"You know I loved your little gesture this morning, when you volunteered to drop me home." Caroline starts very sweetly.

"I hear a 'but' coming up next." Klaus shoves his hands in the pocket of his trouser.

"But, I don't like to be instructed what to do. I am a big girl you know."

Klaus laughs silently.

"What is so funny?"

"I knew this was going to come up."

"And?"

"And I think I was being a gentleman with you."

"And you don't think that you should have ask me first that if I need a lift and then leave me with that?"

"No ma'm, I think it is the duty of a gentleman to accompany a beautiful young lady to avoid the unwanted situations that could bother her."

"Ohh... I appreciate that, but I don't see how any sort of unwanted situation may bother me."

"You have no idea how a sudden unwanted situation can happen."

Caroline looks shocked.

"Really? Such as?"

"Such as the driver might be someone who spoke only Italian and nothing on English at all."

"What makes you think that I don't speak Italian?"

Klaus gives her a questioning look. "Well do you?"

"May be. How do you know?" Caroline smirks. "What other unwanted situation you could think of?"

"What if the car broke down in the middle of a jungle?"

"Ummm... Let me think. We don't have any dangerously unwanted jungle in Mystic Falls do we?"

Klaus scratches his head. "What if the driver turned out to be a serial killer? The real sick kind?"

"Oh my god that was creepy. Geez Klaus what is your problem with the poor cab driver? He could be a good man." Now it's Caroline's turn to laugh out loudly.

"Yes he could be. He could be a fat middle-aged man with five kids back home and a beautiful wife to take care of him and his family."

Caroline rises his brows. "Really, five kids?"

Klaus goes silent for a small moment.

"Klaus?"

"My father started his career with a car rental service. He used to come home after a days work he used to call our names loudly. We, the five of us used to wait when dad will come home because he used to bring a new story every evening with him. Something weird about some weird driver." he smiles shrugging. "And my mom used to make tea for him with her special sandwich and wink to my dad, mostly asking if the story was true. We still discuss sometimes if they were true or he used to make them up for us."

Caroline stares at him with awe. She never realized this funny conversation would take this course.

"We are five siblings. Four brothers and a sister."

"My dad left my mom when I was three. He left her for his secretary. Mom is a strong woman, determined to give me the best upbringing she could afford. She's my idol."

"She is still a strong determined woman."

Caroline sighs heavily. And she realizes Klaus was suppressing something inside for a long while, which he just spilled out.

"You are a very creative person." Caroline feels her lips curling again. "Thank you Klaus.

Klaus stands to look at her. "For what?"

"For not bring up the situation where I could have met a car accident and end up in a three-years long coma."

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_**A/N: **__**This was my last update this week, and probably I won't be able to post anything for a while. It's something called "life"... But I will try my best to complete and post the next chapter around the end of the month.**_

_**Please leave some good review people, I crave for them.**_

_**Have a great week ahead.**_

_**XOXO Lavanya**_


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